DOMAINE ARMAND ROUSSEAU CLOS DE LA ROCHE 2015

Description

Stephen Tanzer 93-95 points www.vinous.com
(20% new oak): Dark red. Superb precision and lift to the aromas of boysenberry, violet and licorice. Rich, sexy and voluptuous, with its fine-grained dark fruit flavors perfectly complemented by integrated oak. Consistent from start to vibrant, rising, extremely long finish, this wonderfully perfumed Clos de la Roche should be outstanding

William Kelley 93+ points www.robertparker.com
The 2015 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru is excellent, opening in the glass with a complex bouquet of red and black cherry, plum preserve, grilled meat, dried ceps and espresso roast, framed by a judicious application of cedary oak (20% new). On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and firmly framed, with unusual depth and concentration for this cuvée, its ample chassis of tannins asserting itself on the firm finish.

Domaine Armand Rousseau has fared well in the 2015 vintage, producing a range that reflects all the qualities of the vintage (Cyrielle Rousseau compares the year to a person of above-average stature) but that nonetheless remain faithful to the family’s much beloved house style. The Chambertin and Clos de Bèze are as great as ever, and the Clos des Ruchottes, Mazy and Clos de la Roche have all enjoyed above-average success. On the other hand, I had expected more of the premiers crus—especially the Lavaux Saint-Jacuques—and the two communal wines. As a set, these wines evoke Rousseau’s 2005s, but I’d argue that they’re less consistent than that superb portfolio of youthful classics. Only a few years ago, it seemed as if the domaine’s « other » appellations were improving vis-a-vis the « big three, » but on the evidence of these 2015s, that thesis appears questionable. Marveling at the greatness of the Chambertin and Clos de Bèze, I often find myself wishing that more of that magic would rub off on the Charmes-Chambertin and the Clos de la Roche—especially given the premium that the Rousseau label commands these days.